Hilda Espano was actually twenty (she looks younger than her age) that year (2011) when I photographed her in their open anahaw hut in Sitio Tawog. With an earphone plugged on her ears, she was busily chatting on the phone with her friends and weaving at the same time while I continuously take photos of the weaving and its milieu.
The setting was typical in Bulusan. As I'd expected, there were the usual tools of the trade (hurmahan i.e. wooden block, hiyod or bamboo stick karagumoy strips softner, stone polisher etc.), the strewn unfinished karagumoy hats, the strips of karagumoy ready for weaving and the almost finished hats ready for trimming and soon for delivery to the nearest trader just across the street--a sari-sari store that sells also cell phone loads for Hilda's use. She told me though that most of the proceeds of the hats after weaving go to the more important daily household needs and for petty cash as well.
Photograph by Alma P. Gamil
Bulusan, Sorsogon, Philippines
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